A total of 87 artists and makers, including more than a dozen new participants, have been selected to take part in Spring Fling 2020 – Scotland’s premier open studio weekend.
Studios across Dumfries and Galloway will throw their doors open to the public for the Bank Holiday Weekend of 23 to 25 May.
Spring Fling is one of the UK’s most successful contemporary visual art and craft events having attracted well over 100,000 visitors (who have made more than 300,000 studio visits) since it began in 2003.
Visitors from the UK and beyond enjoy meeting the creators of high-quality work and see their studios in country and coastal cottages, farms, converted chapels, custom-built studios and a multitude of other settings.
As ever there will be an abundance of established artists and makers as well as emerging talent. They include painters, illustrators, printmakers, ceramicists, woodworkers, jewellery makers, photographers, textile and glass artists, sculptors and photographers.
Joanna Macaulay, Assistant Director for Upland, which runs Spring Fling, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming visitors to this year’s Spring Fling – there’s such an exciting choice of artists and makers to meet, and so many wonderful studios in beautiful parts of the region.
“It’s a chance to make the most of the Bank Holiday weekend by visiting artists and makers as they demonstrate their work and discuss their inspirations. Plus there’s the opportunity to buy a piece of art direct from the artist.
“Each studio is unique, every artist is different but all of them offer a fascinating insight into the inner workings of an artist’s life.”
There will be six colour-coded routes that visitors can follow – allowing them to see a wide variety of studios in different parts of this large rural region.
Participants include the international willow artist Lizzie Farey, glassmaker Amanda Simmons, bespoke furniture maker Daniel Lacey, luxury textile designer Morag Macpherson well-known landscape artist Hazel Campbell, sculptural metal artist Adam Booth, jewellery designer Michael Pell and painter Emma Visca. There will be ceramics by the likes of renowned potter Clare Dawdry, plus the chance to visit Port William printmaker Lisa Hooper and Wigtown painter Davy Brown.
There will also be Springbacks – people from the region who currently live elsewhere – such as ceramicist Jo Walker who is based in Fife and jewellery maker Jesse Ball from Ireland.
The Neighbours scheme provides a platform for artists and makers from adjoining areas and this year includes Gail Kelly (textile artist from Northern Ireland), painter Deborah Campbell from the Scottish Borders ceramicist Hannah Spicer from Ayrshire and mixed media artist Suzanne Stuart Davies from Cumbria.
There will also be artists who have been awarded bursaries to enable them to take part and members of the Emerge mentoring scheme, which pairs young and established artists to transfer skills and experience.
Details of the rest of this year’s event programme will be released soon.
- For further details on Spring Fling please visit www.spring-fling.co.uk.
- Pictures are available from the DropBox at http://bit.ly/31cxMY3.
Picture: Emma Visca. By Colin Hattersley.
Ends
Notes for editors
The 2020 participants
- Josh Williams Ceramics (New artist)
- Kate Anderson Mosaic
- Jennie Ashmore Mixed Media
- Kim Ayres Photography
- Maggie Ayres Painting, Mixed Media
- Michael Batey Painting, Mixed Media
- Ailsa Black Painting
- Heather Blanchard Painting
- Colin Blanchard Printmaking
- Adam Booth Architectural Metal
- Hazel Campbell Painting
- Alison Corfield Mixed Media, Textile (New artist)
- Catherine Coulson Painting
- Clare Dawdry Ceramics
- Laura Derby Furniture, Textile
- Lizzie Farey Painting, Willow
- Julian Francis Ceramics, Mixed Media
- Jane Fraser Wood
- Jo Gallant Textile
- Elizabeth Gilbey Painting
- Pamela Grace Painting, Printmaking
- Alistair Hamilton Photography
- Julie Hollis Painting
- Caroline Hone Painting, Mixed Media
- Lisa Hooper Printmaking
- Linda
Irving Textile - Ruth Elizabeth Jones Ceramics
- Daniel Lacey Furniture, Wood
- Angela Lawrence Painting
- Andrew Livingston Painting & Drawing, Mixed Media (New artist)
- Morag Macpherson Textile
- Archie McCall Ceramics
- Sheena McMaster Jewellery, Silversmithing (New artist)
- Phil McMenemy Photography
- Liz McQueen Painting (New artist)
- Livy Nelson Illustration, Painting, Printmaking (New artist)
- Heather M Nisbet Painting
- Janet O’Donnell Painting Mixed Media,Textile
- Michael Pell Jewellery, Silversmithing
- Jay Rubinstein Sculpture, Wood (New artist)
- Helen Ryman Painting
- Urpu Sellar Ceramics
- Philippa Sinclair Painting, Mixed Media
- Joanna Srokol Painting, Mixed Media, Textile (New artist)
- Sarah Stewart Illustration, Painting & Drawing, Printmaking, Textile
- Sue Thomas Film (New artist)
- Vaughan Trower Violin Making
- Natalie Vardey Jewellery
- Emma Varley Mixed Media, Printmaking
- Emma Visca Painting
- Glenda Waterworth Painting, Mixed Media
- Philip Wilson Furniture
- Tricia Barna Painting, Mixed Media (New artist)
- Minette Bell Macdonald Painting
- Bella Green Jewellery, Painting, Mixed Media
- Hope London Painting
- Kevan McGinty Painting
- Suzi Plunkett Illustration
- David Rushton Scale Models, Installation
- Davy Brown Painting
- Anne Butler Painting
- Janet Ibbotson Textile
- Sarah Keast Painting, Mixed Media, Printmaking
- Andy Priestman Ceramics, Painting
- Kay Ribbens Hats, Textile
- Sarah Rogers Jewellery
- Lisa Rothwell Young Jewellery
- Dougie Sharpe Painting
- Amanda Simmons Glass
- Alison Macleod Jewellery
- Peter Smith Wood
- Patti Lean Painting
- Christopher Taylor Ceramics
- Deborah Campbell Mixed Media, Textile (Neighbour)
- Gail Kelly Printmaking, Textile (Neighbour)
- Hannah Spicer Ceramics (Neighbour)
- Suzanne Stuart Davies Painting & Drawing, Mixed Media, Textile (Neighbour)
- Jesse Ball Jewellery (Springback)
- Janet Hughes Textile (Springback) (New artist)
- Jo Walker Ceramics (Springback)
- Shona Guthrie Jewellery (Springback)
- Kaz Robertson Jewellery (Springback)
- Hazel Maclennan Glass (New artist) (Springback)
- Iona Hall Jewellery (New artist) (Springback)
- Sophie Jarzyna Ceramics (Emerge) (New artist)
- Izzy Leach Photography, Mixed Media (Emerge) (New artist)
- Blossom McCuaig Painting, Mixed Media (Emerge) (New artist)
About Spring Fling
- Spring Fling is Scotland’s premier visual art and contemporary craft open studios event covering all Dumfries and Galloway, South West Scotland. It is the flagship annual event of Upland CIC.
- Last year 74% of visitors had been to a previous Spring Fling, 26% were new, and 99% said they would come again.
- 98% rated Spring Fling as excellent or good.
- 57% of visitors were from outside Dumfries and Galloway.
- Visitors spent close to £1.4 million in the region.
- More than half Spring Fling visitors spend one night or more in the region.
- For further details visit www.spring-fling.co.uk or contact [email protected]
About Upland
Upland CIC (Community Interest Company) supports artists and makers based in, and with connections to, the region. It will delivers, events, training, networking, support and opportunities as part of a year-round programme to benefit the region, its artists, communities and economy. Upland CIC runs the annual Spring Fling contemporary visual art and craft open studios weekend in Dumfries and Galloway. It will work closely with other arts bodies in the region to further-strengthen the sector. Upland is based at Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries and exists to:
- produce and deliver festivals, events, and experimental projects of the highest quality
- nurture an environment where artistic excellence thrives and grows
- inspire and educate a wide range of audiences, customers and clients to understand, celebrate, be actively engaged in and supportive of visual art and craft practice
- raise the profile of visual artists and makers locally, nationally and internationally fulfilling a crucial role in the culture and tourism of Dumfries and Galloway
- build strategic partnerships at regional, national and international level
- maintain a financially sound and adaptively resilient organisation
- use, and encourage the use of, innovative and emerging digital technology
- work to the benefit the local economy and the sustainability of local communities.
Its funders are Creative Scotland, D&G Council, The Holywood Trust, The William Grant Foundation, The Heritage Lottery Fund, ASWT, Barfill.
Upland is very happy to help journalists. Contact us and we can set up interviews, provide pictures and photo opportunities. In some circumstances we can offer ready-written copy. For media information contact Matthew Shelley on 07786 704299 or at [email protected] or call Upland on 01387 213 218.